Description
The Volkswagen Drag Bus is one of the hottest surprise castings to ever come out of Mattel's factory. Whether you love it or hate it, it turned into a collectors #1 favorite. The Volkswagen Drag Bus designed by Phil Riehlman has his initials, P R, cast into the bottom of the rear differential. This casting when released was the heaviest casting Mattel made, and the most popular.
There is also a modified casting called Volkswagen 21-Window Drag Bus.
Versions
The Volkswagen Drag Bus has come out in the following versions:
Col # | Year | Series | Color | Tampo | Base Color / Type | Window Color | Interior Color | Wheel Type | Toy # | Country | Notes / Variations | Photo |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
372 | 1996 | First Editions 6/12 |
Metalflake Blue | Red, Yellow and White tampos, w/"Hot Wheels" logo, "Fahrvergnügen", and "Phils VW Performance Parts" on sides | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Orange | Front Chrome 5SP Rear Chrome 10DOT | 14912 | China | ||
1996 | Employee Holiday Release | White | 'Seasons Greetings' and Santa Claus on side | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Front Chrome 5SP Rear Chrome 10DOT | China | |||||
1996 | JC Whitney Exclusive | White, Silver & Red | 'JC Whitney Warshawsky' on side | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Front Chrome 5SP Rear Chrome 10DOT | 16956 | China | ||||
N/A | 1997 | Liberty Promotions for All Tune & Lube |
Black | Flames cover both sides | Unpainted / Metal | Red Tint | Yellow | Front Gold 5SP Rear Gold 10DOT | 18665 | China | This was the first VW Drag Bus produced by Liberty Promotions working with Mattel. | |
N/A | 1998 | Custom Car Designer | Pearl White | none | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Red | Front Chrome 5SP Rear Chrome 10DOT | 19048 | China | Came with the Custom Car Designer CD-ROM | |
372 | 1998 | 30th Anniversary Set | Metalflake Blue | Red, Yellow, and White tampos w/HW logo, "Fahrvergnügen", and "Phils VW Performance Parts" on sides. HW 30th Anniv tampo on the rear wing | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Orange | Front Chrome 5SP Rear Chrome 10DOT | China | The only difference from the 1996 issue VW Bus is the "Hot Wheels" tampo on the rear wing | ||
N/A | 1998 | Jiffy Lube Exclusive | Yellow | Red and Black tampos on sides with "13" and racing deco | Unpainted / Metal | Red Tint | Black | Front Chrome 5SP Rear Chrome 10DOT | 20961 | China | This was the 2nd VW Drag Bus produced by Liberty Promotions working with Mattel | |
N/A | 1998 | Van de Kamp's Promotion | Lime Green | Both sides have Yellow/Orange "Fish-O-Saurus" and Blue "Van-de-Kamp's" tampos. Top has Pink Surfboard w/Blue "Van-de-Kamp's" tampo | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Red | Front Chrome 5SP Rear Chrome 10DOT | 18585 | China | Packaged on Special Edition (50K) "Fish-O-Saurus" card; Mail-order only | |
N/A | 1998 | Interactive Collectors Guide | Spectraflame Purple and Black | Gold, Black and White "HW 30 years", Interactive" | Unpainted / Metal | Yellow Tint | White | Front RL5SP, Rear 10DOT | 20774 | China | Came packaged with the Interactive Collectors Guide CD-ROM | |
N/A | 1999 | Malleco Tower Cranes Promotion | Dark Red | Unpainted / Metal | Gold 5SP | 22326 | ||||||
N/A | 2001 | Liberty Promotions for Penske Auto Center | Red | Unpainted / Metal | Front Chrome PC5 / Rear 10DOT | |||||||
N/A | 2001 | Liberty Promotions for Penske Auto Center | Red | Unpainted / Metal | Front Chrome PC5 / Rear 10DOT | 54946 | ||||||
2001 | Liberty Promotions for Penske Auto Center | Black | Silver and Red tampos on sides with "PENSKE AUTO CENTER" | Unpainted / Metal | Black Tint | Red | Front Chrome PC6 with "Good Year" tampo / Rear 10DOT | 54946 | Four colors were released: One in Red, Dark Red, Silver and Black | |||
2001 | Liberty Promotions for Penske Auto Center | Silver | Black and White tampos on sides with "PENSKE AUTO CENTER" | Unpainted / Metal | Black Tint | Front Chrome Good Year RR5SP / Rear 10DOT | 54946 | Four colors were released: One in Red, Dark Red, Silver and Black | ||||
1 | 2002 | HWC.com 1 #1 | Chrome | Flying Customs graphics | CDDRR w/ Red Lines | 85506 | ||||||
17 | 2002 | HWC.com 1 #17 | Chrome | Red and Black pin stripping, 2002 Nationals Convention logo | Redline CDDRR | 85522 | ||||||
18 | 2002 | HWC.com 1 #18 | Spectraflame Orange | Graphics dedicated to Phil Riehlman w/Nationals logo | Redline CDDRR | 85505 | 1 of 2,000 | |||||
18 | 2002 | HWC.com 1 #18 | Spectraflame Orange | Graphics dedicated to Phil Riehlman w/o Nationals logo | Redline CDDRR | 85505 | 1 of 2,712 | |||||
19 | 2002 | HWC.com 1 #19 | Spectraflame Blue | Graphics dedicated to Phil Riehlman | Redline CDDRR | 85504 | ||||||
N/A | 2003 | General Mills Wheaties Promotion |
Light Blue | "Hot Wheels" and "Wheaties" on sides and top | Chrome / Metal | Blue Tint | Orange | Front 5SP BLING Rear Chrome 10DOT | China |
Mail-in promo Also found in General Mill's Salute to Richard Petty 18-Car Set |
||
N/A | 2003 | General Mills Lucky Charms Promotion |
Orange | "Hot Wheels" and "Lucky Charms" on sides and top over small white flames | Chrome / Metal | Clear | Yellow | Front 5SP BLING Rear 10DOT | China |
Mail-in promo Also found in General Mill's Salute to Richard Petty 18-Car Set |
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N/A | 2003 | Preferred Series - Volkswagen | Orange and White / Metal | Orange Scallop tampos on side | RR5SP | B2257 | TRU Mail-In Promo | |||||
N/A | 2003 | Preferred Series - Volkswagen | Aqua and White / Metal | RR5SP | TRU Mail-In Promo | |||||||
2003 | HWC.com 2 - Flying Customs #1 of 4 | Black | RR5SP | B2200 | ||||||||
2004 | HWC.com 3 - Real Riders #6 of 6 | Spectraflame Blue | Real Riders graphics | Goodyear RR5SP | C6044 | |||||||
4/6 | 2005 | HWC.com 4 | Spectraflame Purple | Redline RR5SP | ||||||||
133 | 2005 | Treasure Hunts 13/12 |
Black | Orange, Yellow and Blue tampos, with Flames, "Hot Wheels" logo, 10th Anniversary "Treasure Hunt" logo and "1995-2005" | Unpainted / Metal | Redline RR5SP | ||||||
2005 | RLC Thank You | Spectraflame Chrome and Spectraflame Red | Redline RR5SP | J4233 | Only 14,472 produced | |||||||
2005 | Mongoose & Snake Drag Race Set | White/Yellow | Snake racing scheme | 5SP | ||||||||
2005 | Mongoose and Snake Drag Race Set | White/Red | Mongoose Racing Scheme | 5SP | ||||||||
6/6 | 2006 | HWC.com 5 | Spectraflame Aqua and Flat White | Ghosted tribal flames | Chromed / Metal | B.F. Goodrich RR5SP | C6044 | |||||
2006 | RLC Thank You | Spectraflame Red | Redline RR5SP | K6448 | Only 13,775 produced | |||||||
223 | 2006 | Mystery Car 5/5 |
Chrome and Black | Red and Black tampos | RR5SP | |||||||
1/6 | 2007 | HWC.com 6 | Spectraflame Orange | Black graphic on side, Ghost flames on side | Chrome / Metal | Tinted | Black | Goodyear RR5SP | L2091 | China | ||
N/A | 2007 | Japan Custom Car Show | Black | Blue Tribal Flames, 'Phils Speed Shop / Volkswagen', Blue Wing | Redline RR5SP | |||||||
N/A | 2007 | Japan Custom Car Show 2-Car Set | Matte Black | Yellow Tribal Flames, 'Phils Speed Shop / Volkswagen', Copper Wing | Redline RR5SP | |||||||
1/6 | 2008 | HWC.com 7 | Spectraflame Yellow | Red Packaging Design on Side, 40th Anniversary Logo, Redline Club logo | Chrome / Metal | Redline RR5SP | L8688 | |||||
2008 | 22nd Collectors Convention | Spectraflame Blue | Black, Purple, & Light Blue flames on sides & across top, convention logo on top | Metal | Chrome | RR5SP | L8737 | Thailand | 3000 Produced | |||
2008 | 40 Years of Hot Wheels Set | Matte Blue | Black, Silver and White tampos with "Fahrvergnügen" and Hot Wheels logo on sides | Unpainted / Metal | Front 5SP Rear 10DOT | M0543 | China | |||||
2008 | Since '68 | Metalflake Dark Green | Silver, Green, Light Green and Yellow flames on sides and top, with "Hot Wheels" logo on sides | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Gray | Front Redline 5SP Rear Redline 10DOT | M1548 | Thailand | |||
2008 | Since '68 - Mexico Commemorative Edition | Spectraflame Copper | Black Roof | 5SP | P3112 | |||||||
1/4 | 2009 | RLC Membership Car | Spectraflame Smoke and White | Police Graphics | Chrome / Metal | RL | P2127 | China | Limited to 4,000 | |||
2/4 | 2009 | RLC Membership Car | Spectraflame Red | Fire Department graphics | Chrome / Metal | Clear | Black | RL | P2128 | China | Limited to 5,000 | |
3/4 | 2009 | RLC Membership Car | Spectraflame Olive and Black | Military Police tampos | Chrome / Metal | Green | RL | P2129 | China | Limited to 6,000 | ||
4/4 | 2009 | RLC Membership Car | Spectraflame Yellow and Black | Taxi tampo | Chrome / Metal | RL | P2130 | China | Limited to 7,000 | |||
1/4 | 2009 | 23rd Annual Collectors Convention | White and Blue | Blue flames on sides and top | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Chrome | RR5SP | P2195 | Thailand | Limited to 3,000 | |
2009 | Employee Holiday Release | Chrome | Silver Flames | Unpainted / Metal | Tinted (Red) | Red chrome with white tyres | P9116 | Thailand | ||||
2010 | 3rd Annual Brazil Convention | Pearl White, Green and Pearl Yellow | Green Yellow and White flames, "Brazil Convention 2010" | Chrome / Metal | Tinted | White | Green Chrome RR5SP | R8457 | Thailand | 1/5000 | ||
N/A | 2010 | Japan Custom Car Show | White & Black | Red Stripe on Side, Yellow Flames on Top, Silver Flames on Side | Redline RR5SP | 1,500 Produced | ||||||
N/A | 2010 | Japan Custom Car Show | Silver & Black | Red Stripe on Side, Yellow Flames on Top, Silver Flames on Side | Redline RR5SP | 500 Produced | ||||||
2013 | Hot Wheels Convencion Mexico | Green | Flames on sides and Seller Exclusive 2013 | Chrome / Metal | Green Rim RR5SP | 1/50 | ||||||
4/4 | 2013 | HWC Gulf Racing | Spectraflame Light Blue & Orange | Gulf Logos | Chrome / Metal | Firestone RR5SP | ||||||
4 | 2013 | Collector Edition | Spectraflame Magenta | Matte Black Top, White Stripe on Top, Silver Flames, Hot Wheels Logo and '4' | Unpainted / Metal | Redline RR5SP / DDRR | ||||||
2015 | Pop Culture M&M Mars | Yellow w/ Brown Roof | “M&M’s” logo and M&M’s candy deco on sides. | Unpainted / Metal | Tan | Clear | RR5SP | BDR64 | Thailand | Base Codes: G46 | ||
2016 | HWC.com 14 - Neo Classics | Spectraflame Purple | Yellow & Orange Flames | Chrome / Metal | RL | DTH33 | China | |||||
1/4 | 2017 | 31st Annual Collectors Convention | Pink & Purple | Yellow, Pink & Blue flames all over, "31st Annual Collectors Convention" on rear wing | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Redline RR5SP | 2,800 Produced | ||||
1 | 2017 | MEA Dinner Dance | Black / Zamac | multiple textured feather-like decals, "Mattel Masquerade 2017" on roof | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Grey | Gold RR5SP | FCM85 | Thailand | Rumors said a production run of 300 pieces; Base Code: K37 | |
2/3 | 2019 | 19th Annual Hot Wheels Nationals Convention | White, Blue & Orange | 'Union 76' and '76' Logos, Sponsors Logos | Unpainted / Metal | Clear | Orange | Goodyear RR5SP | Base Code: |
Modified Versions
Col # | Year | Series | Color | Tampo | Base Color / Type | Window Color | Interior Color | Wheel Type | Toy # | Country | Notes / Variations | Photo |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Light Speeders | Yellow | Red stripes on sides | Unpainted / Metal | Tinted (Red) | None | 5SP | W5926 | Thailand | Base code(s): E18 | ||
2014 | Color Shifters | Green (cold) / White (warm) | Green flames, White stripes & HW logo on sides | Unpainted / Metal | Tinted (Red) | None | OH5 | BHR40 | Thailand | Base code(s): F44, G12 |